


Fallen Hope

by LykaonArkadia



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety Attacks, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-09-16 03:40:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16946283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LykaonArkadia/pseuds/LykaonArkadia
Summary: Having watched his girlfriend Y/N seemingly fall to her death in front of him, Tony tries to deal with the death of his one true love.





	Fallen Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Requested on Tumblr.

“Why exactly are we here Stark?” Steve calls over the sound of the falls, rising his voice to be heard.

“SHIELD said there were some weird readings out here,” Tony yells back looking down at the screen coming from his watch.

“Well it looks like there is fuck all here babe,” Y/N laughs as she leans into her boyfriend to look at the screen as well.

“Maybe I made up an excuse to take you on a romantic date to Niagara Falls,” Tony smirks down at her.

“Oh Anthony, you’re just the most romantic man,” she says before flicking his nose. “Bringing me and seven other people here.”

“Ok you caught me,” he replies leaning down to press his lips to hers. “I owe you a real date when we get back.”

“Promise?” She asks with the raise of an eyebrow.

“Pinky-promise,” he states seriously, lifting his pinky.

She smiles and locks her pinky with his, “We have a deal Stark.”

He kisses her forehead before turning his attention back to the screen, “Could you and Barton scan the parameter? We need to check over everything before we can take off and call it a bust.”

“Isn’t this place a little dead for a tourist trap?” Falcon asks as he walks over. “There’s practically no one here.”

“Weird,” Tony mumbles flipping through his screens. “Go check things out, I’ll figure this out.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Y/N says as she walks over to Steve. “Tony wants me and Clint checking the parameter, we need to check over everything.”

Steve nods as he gives out sections to the rest of the present Avengers, and Y/N and Clint take off.

“This seems like a trap,” he mumbles as they stand on the parameter, everything deathly still.

“Glad I’m not the only one with that feeling,” she grumbles back, when she notices small whirlpools of water forming on the platform around the team, slowly funneling up into figures. “What the f-“

“BEHIND!” Clint yells as the pair comes racing back. He slinging some arrows, and her blasting the whirlpools she sees with energy projections, before they can form.

As the fight breaks out, Y/N tries to work her way towards Tony, taking down enemies along the way. When Tony stays on the ground, they tended to fight back to back to keep one another covered.

Nearing Tony, her attention is ripped away by a scream of pain. Twisting back around she spots one of the animal-shaped forms with its teeth sunk into Steve’s shoulder as he desperately was trying to pry it’s jaws open.

“I got you Steve!” She yells racing toward him, carefully aiming and blasting the top of the creature’s head off, covering Steve in a layer of watery goo. “Are you ok?” She demands sliding up next to him to look at the wound.

“I’m good, I’m good,” he insists trying to shake her off.

Carefully pressing a hand to his shoulder, she puts a thin energy field around it to protect the area. “That should hold it until we get back.”

He nods and lifts his shield back up from the ground, testing his arm, “I got it, you get back in the fight!”

She nods back, and turns to see some of the creatures had morphed wings, now following Falcon through the air as he twists and weaves between them. “I could use some backup Y/N!” She hears him yell through her ear piece.

“On it!” Running up the nearest rock platform, she sends a series of energy balls at the creatures on his tail. “Sam, 4 o’ clock!” She yells at the one she can’t target.

“Got ‘im!” He responds flipping back to grab that enemy.

“What are these things?” She yells through their communicators. “They’re fucking water morphing into things!”

“Water-formers… robots in disguise,” Bucky responds back quietly, earning a groan from everyone on the team.

“Buck, just because you now know some modern pop culture, doesn’t mean you need to use it,” Y/N says back, throwing an energy ball through the nearest enemy’s chest.

“Can’t have a little fun while we’re fighting huh?” Bucky responds, and she can practically hear his smirk.

She rolls her eyes as she scans the battlefield, “Does anyone need me-“ She stops dead as she sees the gigantic puddle forming behind Tony, unbeknownst to him.

Without thinking, she takes off toward him, pushing every enemy and teammate out of the way, her gaze trained on Tony. “TONY!” She screams, but he makes no move to show he hears her. “TONY WATCH OUT!”

Her lungs burn as she pushes her legs to move as fast as they can, cursing herself for having gotten so far away from him. Her eyes widen in horror as she realizes the mass has grown to over eight feet tall, and is in the process of solidifying.

Tony finally turns to see Y/N rushing toward him, a look a pure terror on her face. Glancing over his shoulder, he finally sees what’s gotten her frightened as it takes a swipe at him, knocking him to the ground. Desperately trying to get his blasters working, he scrambles backwards closer to the falls as he shakes water out of his suit.

“We’ve taken on water damage Mr. Stark, commence suit preservation shut down now,” FRIDAY says in his ear as he curses. “NO NO NOT NOW DAMMIT,” smacking his blaster on the ground next to him.

He finds himself pressed up against the guardrail overlooking the falls, one direction the gigantic creature quickly gaining on him, and the other a 200 foot drop. As the large shadow covers him, blocking out the sun, he braces himself for impact.

“YOU CAN’T HAVE HIM!” Y/N screams as she launches herself at the creature, her powers flaring out wildly, slamming her into the upper back of it, wrapping her arms around it as the momentum flings them both over the railing. Tony twists around quickly looking down to see Y/N’s eyes wide with fear as she clings to a rock jutting out of the formation, the creature clinging to her ankles as she frantically kicks her legs trying to knock it off.

“Y/N! Climb up!” Tony yells reaching his arm out as far as he can. “Just hold on! FALCON! GET OVER HERE!”

Y/N looks back down to realize the creature is slowly climbing its way up her body toward Tony’s outstretched hand. Steeling her will, she looks up into his eyes with determination, “Tony, I love you.”

“Babe I love you too, just hold on!” He yells growing anxious at the look on her face. “Just hold on!”

She smiles up at him apologetically, before releasing her hold on the ledge, sending her and the creature spiraling down the 200 foot drop of the falls.

A bloodcurdling scream echoes through the air mixing with the unforgiving sounds of the roaring water.

“No!” Tony screams scrambling to his feet, ready to climb over the railing when Steve grabs him. “LET GO OF ME!”

“Tony stop!” Steve yells holding on him as Client rushes in to grab his other arm. “You flinging yourself off after her will do nothing!”

“I have to find her!” He yells continuing to struggle.

“Your suit isn’t even working!” Natasha yells back at him as she grabs the back of his suit and throws him onto the ground.

“Sam?” Steve looks up to his friend. “Go search, see if you can find anything.”

He nods quickly before launching himself into the air and flying down into the falls to search.

“I have to go look,” Tony insists still. “Backup power source has to be here somewhere.” He hit random panels on his suit trying to get some sort of response. “FRIDAY do something!”

“I’m sorry Mr. Stark, your suit is in the repairing process, it will not be operational for several hours.”

“Too long!” He huffs, trying to get up in the bulky dead suit. “I will go find her without the fucking suit!”

“Natasha,” Steve looks to the woman between them, sharing an understanding look.

“I’m sorry Tony,” she says before delivering a quick blow to the back of his head knocking him out.

-

Bolting up from his bed, Tony frantically looks around the room, realizing he’s in the medical bay in Stark Towers. His mind is racing as he tries to figure out how he ended up here, and if his memories are nightmares or fact.

Ripping the IVs from his arms, he throws himself from his bed marching toward the door.

“Mr. Stark, Mr. Rogers informed me you were to stay in bed until you’ve recovered,” FRIDAY relies to him.

“Well tell Mr. Rogers he can go fuck himself,” Tony growls flinging the doors open to find the Avengers from the most recent mission in the lobby. All except one.

His chest tightening as he looks around, he clears his throat before demanding, “Where is Y/N?”

The whole lobby goes silent, as he searches each of their faces waiting for someone to speak.

“Sam?” Steve says looking to the man across from him.

Sam grimaces before reaching into his pocket as he walks over to Tony. “I… man I don’t know what to say. All I found was this.”

Tony holds out his hand for Sam to drop a scrap of wet fabric into his palm, and backing away with a pitying look.

He turns the fabric over in his hands, and slowly realizes it’s a piece of Y/N’s uniform. Clenching his fist around the fabric, he tries to control the shaking in his hand but fails as he sees all the pitying looks trained on him.

He takes off toward the elevator, “Everyone leave me alone. FRIDAY I don’t want anyone bothering me. Lock my room after I get there. No exceptions.”

“Yes Mr. Stark.”

“Tony!” Bruce yells walking after him quickly. “Maybe we could go work on that new tech?” He suggests carefully.

Tony comes to a halt before turning to face his friend, “Bruce. I can’t focus on nanotech right now. I’m going to get shitfaced in my room and avoid dealing with my feelings right now. And I don’t want to be bothered.” He turns away and hits the floor on button on the elevator.

When he finally makes it to his room, he can feel his chest tightening and watches as his numb hands shake against the bar surface. He closes his eyes, and all he can see is Y/N’s wide eyes as she hung from the ledge, and her letting go. In slow motion.  _Again. And again. And again._

His blood is roaring in his ears as his heart seemingly slams against his ribcage. He stumbles behind the bar hurriedly grabbing his whiskey, trying to pour it in the glass with his trembling hands, managing to get more on the bar-top than in his glass. Giving up, he finally puts the bottle to his lips and chugs. Slamming down the empty bottle, it shattered in his hand leaving bloody mess as he goes to look out the window over the city as his mind races.  _She died for me. She died saving me. If I had just been paying attention. If I had been faster. If my suit was better. She died, not me. It should have been me._

The voice in his mind refuses to shut up, causing him to rummage through his bar cabinets for something stronger. Anything.

Finding another drink, he starts to down that one from the bottle as well, leaving a bloody streak on the counter he leans on.

After an hour of continuous drinking and his body finally calming down, he stumbles over to the bed. Their bed. Before collapsing onto it. He’s immediately met with her scent surrounding him as he see her nightgown under him. Balling it up, he holds it to his body and inhales her scent as his body shakes, finally letting out the tears he’d been holding in.

“Mr. Stark-“ FRIDAY begins.

“I said to leave me alone!” He shouts cutting the message off.

There’s silence for a moment before FRIDAY continues, “Mr. Stark entrance has been requested.”

“What the fuck did I just say?” He snaps sitting up in the bed. “I want to be left alone!”

More silence. “I was told to deliver you the message to open the fucking door right now, Mr. Stark.”

An annoyed growl comes from Tony’s throat as he pulls himself from the bed and stalks over to the door, and flings it open, “I said to leave me-“ but stops dead in his tracks at the sight before him.

“The fuck alone,” Y/N mutters with a slight laugh, cringing at the movement. “I know, I heard.”

“Y/N?” He questions, not believing his eyes.  _It had to be an illusion. It had to be the alcohol. It couldn’t be her._  In front of him stands a shivering drenched and bloody Y/N in a shredded uniform, clutching her side as she looks back at him. “Is it… is it really you?”

Smelling the scent of alcohol from her position in the doorway, she knows he’s had a bad night. Shuffling forward, she carefully raises the arm not holding her side, and presses her palm to his cheek. Gently stroking down, she holds his chin in her hand, “It’s me Tony.”

“Oh god, Y/N you’re alive!” He exclaims grabbing her tightly and pulling her into him.

She yelps loudly in pain from the pressure of his embrace and sudden movement, but quickly bites down on her lip.

He releases her quickly at the sound and scans her over, “How are… how did you… where were…” So many questions clutter his inebriated mind as he stares in her Y/E/C eyes.

“Babe can I sit down and maybe get changed before we get into this?” She says softly looking up into his eyes.

“Of course!” He says a bit louder than intended, and grabs her free hand to pull her into the room. “You’re still soaked. And covered in dirt. And blood. You need a shower.”

“Thank you for that observation Tony,” she grins. “Your new name should be Captain Obvious, no more Iron Man.”

He shakes his head, making the room spin faster than he’d like like before gripping the counter near them. “Let’s get you in the shower.”

“Tony why are you bleeding?” She asks, noticing the bloody streaks on the counter.

“Whiskey bottle,” he mumbles leading her back toward the bathroom.

“I’m not sure you can handle a shower in your state,” she says as he pulls the curtain back.

“We’re showering together,” he says firmly as he starts it before turning to her. “Arms up.”

She gingerly lifts her arms as he carefully rips off what’s left of her uniform, and her tank and bra underneath. A strangled noise comes from him as he sees the large ugly bruise going up her ribs, one of which doesn’t look too right from what he can tell. “You need medical attention.”

“Let’s just have this shower first,” she says softly. “You wanted to shower together, and you wanted answers, you’ll get both.”

He nods carefully before helping her out of her bottoms and underwear, then into the showering before tearing at his own clothes.

Getting into the shower under the stream behind her, he wraps his arms around her shoulders, and buries his face in her hair, “You’re alive.”

“I’m alive,” she repeats gently stroking his arm and leaning back into his form.

“You let go,” he whispers.

“I did,” she confirms.

“Why?” His voice croaks out.

“He was trying to get you,” she whispers. “He didn’t care about me. He was crawling up my body toward your hand, he was going to get to you. Your suit was down. I could hang there while he crawled up me and got to you, and maybe be saved by Sam if it didn’t get him too. Or I could save all of you and give up myself.”

“Y/N I’ve fucked up enough in my life, your life isn’t worth me,” he says back shakily. “When it comes to you or me, it should be me.”

“You’ve been through enough Anthony,” she says firmly. “Growing up. You lost your parents. You were held hostage by terrorists, you nearly died countless times. You actively sacrificed yourself into space with a missile. You suffer nightmares every night, panic attacks, and went through years of binge drinking trying to numb the pain. I’ve tried to be at your side and help you through everything I can. But if it comes down to all I can do to protect you is sacrifice myself, I’m going to put you first.”

Turning in his grasp she can see the mix of tears and water running down his face, as he tries to hide it from her. She turns his face back towards her and presses her lips gently to his, “I love you Tony.”

“I love you Y/N,” he responds immediately, staring deep into her eyes. “How did you survive?”

She smirks slightly at his question, “Energy shields. Had enough time to make a few around me and pinball my way down the cliffside, hitting nearly every rock on the way down I might add. Didn’t completely stop all the impact or protect all parts of me as is obvious.”

“Why couldn’t Sam find you? He went looking,” Tony presses on.

“I cracked my head pretty head on my energy shield on one of the impacts near the bottom, and bounced off into some sort of cave I think. I passed out from the impact, but I’m assuming the force is what threw me into the cave I woke up in.”

“How did you get back? And why didn’t you contact me?” He adds.

“Well the first thing I did was try to get ahold of FRIDAY,” she states. “But my wristband and the communicator were broken. So I just sort of… hobbled my way until I came to a road. I didn’t have any money or way to call transport. So I followed the road until I got someone to hitchhike from.”

“Someone picked you up looking like you fell off a mountain, and just brought you back to Stark Tower and not the hospital?” He asks furrowing his brows.

“Well they asked, but luckily they knew who I was, who we are,” she smirks. “That one brought me about halfway and gave me a jacket I used to cover up some and get another ride to the city. Got some change off someone else to get on the bus that brought me into Manhattan. Then I just walked.”

“You walked back in this state from the edge of Manhattan?”

“Was really the only choice I had. Then I couldn’t scan my band because it broke, so I was having a lovely chat outside the door to the tower with FRIDAY. Convincing her I was really me to let me in drew a bit of attention on the streets as you’d imagine. Then I finally got in and came straight up here, didn’t see anyone on my way up. Just needed to get to you and our room.”

He presses his forehead to hers, “I’m so sorry…”

“I don’t regret what I did,” she replies taking his bloody hand in hers and washing it off under the water. “I’m guessing you’ve been drinking all night?”

He looks down ashamed, “I thought you died.”

“I understand,” she says softly. “But you smell like a liquor cabinet, I think you went little far. You were on the path of drinking yourself into an early grave.”

“I wouldn’t have cared,” he replies.

She lightly smacks his cheek at his words, “You shut up. I give my life for you, don’t go waste it on alcohol. You’re a good man Tony, and you still have a lot to give the world. Whether it’s a world I’m in or not.”

“A world you’re not in hardly seems worth the trouble of being sober and productive,” he mumbles burying his face in her neck.

She sighs as she wraps one arm around him, noticing his hands had stopped shaking.

“I don’t think I can do this without you anymore Y/N,” he whispers. “Don’t go throwing yourself away for me.”

“How about we keep each other alive?” She responds softly, stroking his back.

He stiffens in her arms before releasing a sigh himself, “You’re getting nanotech. Top of the line everything. Fall resistant. Impact resistant. Including a helmet or mask or something.”

“I can live with that,” she says with a chuckle.

“And can you live with me?” He asks.

“I just said we can live for each other Tony.”

“But will you live with me?”

“I already live in the same bedroom as you.”

“Not enough,” he grumbles into her neck. “Be my wife.”

Now it’s her turn to stiffen in his hold, “What?”

“This isn’t how I planned on bringing it up,” he says pulling back to look into her eyes, “But be my wife. Please?”

Her eyes widen as she realizes he’s serious, and tears prickle at the edges of her eyes, “I… Tony… I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes,” he whispers, cracking a smile.

“Yes,” she responds, her face lighting up with a smile as she squeezes him tight, before gasping at the pressure on her ribs.

He chuckles softly turning the water off, “Lets go get you fixed up, future Mrs. Stark.”


End file.
